• Biography

Early Life

Gwen Ifill was born on September 29, 1955 in New York City to a family of Barbadian and Panamanian descent. She was raised in a middle-class family in Queens, New York. Her father, O. Urcille Ifill, was a minister and her mother, Eleanor, was a nurse. She attended Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, where she earned a degree in communications.

Career

After graduating from Simmons College, Ifill began her career as a newspaper reporter for the Boston Herald American. She then moved to Washington, D.C. to work for The Washington Post. In 1994, she joined NBC News as a correspondent and later became the network’s White House correspondent. In 1999, she joined PBS as a senior correspondent for the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

In 2013, Ifill was named the co-anchor of PBS NewsHour, making her the first African-American woman to host a major news program. She was also the moderator of the 2004 and 2008 vice-presidential debates. In addition to her work in journalism, Ifill was a professor at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

Legacy

Gwen Ifill was a trailblazer in the field of journalism. She was a role model for young women of color and a powerful voice for the African-American community. She was a fierce advocate for diversity in the media and was a mentor to many aspiring journalists.

Ifill was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the National Association of Black Journalists’ Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Governors Award.

In 2016, Ifill was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. The award is the highest civilian honor in the United States and is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation.

Death

Gwen Ifill passed away on November 14, 2016 at the age of 61 after a battle with cancer. She was remembered by her colleagues and friends as a brilliant journalist and a kind and generous person. Her legacy will live on through her work and the many lives she touched.

Date modified: Apr 3, 2023
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